In 2014 alone, in the United States, approximately 2 thousand children were born to surrogate mothers. If we think of the costs for a gestation of this type, which can reach $ 150,000 in the United States, it is clear that, over the years, surrogacy has become a thriving trade. Each surrogate mother receives between 20 and 30 thousand dollars, and in many cases, especially in developing countries, poverty is pushing young women to choose to become surrogate mothers. In India alone, it is estimated that the trade connected to surrogate motherhood leads to a turnover of over two billion dollars each year. These cases are important for understanding that the opportunities offered by science do not always respect ethics but correspond to individualistic needs. This was highlighted, during an interview with Vatican Radio, by the geneticist Domenico Coviello, member of "Scienza & Vita" and director of the Laboratory of Human Genetics at Galliera Hospital in Genoa:
"The technologies are progressing at an impressive speed, and especially the citizen—but sometimes even the doctor—cannot properly evaluate the consequences of what has been discovered. The findings are important, but—says Dr. Coviello—man is the one who has to judge when to apply them. As in the fields of physics and nuclear energy, man must decide what can be of benefit to the community rather than to the individual."
If the scientist "does not technically have the means to counter such a strong an economic sector," he does have "the power to educate the public, to educate the population, which goes hand in hand with education in general. Here we can reconnect with the educational emergency that has constantly been evoked by both Pope Francis and Pope Benedict. In this period, the educational crisis is truly becoming a life requirement. "As we see—Dr. Coviello concludes—the lack of education, including with regard to ethical principles, is then determinant for the freedom of the companies whose only commercial aims are in the free market."
